ModHousewife is a forum for all modern women, whether working professional or stay-at-home mom, with an inner-sexy, intelligent and fun "Housewife" spirit. This is your time to relax with your favorite latte and read up on Celebrities, Decor, Fashion, Food, Holidays, Health, Trends, and much more. Plus, ModHousewife encourages all readers to comment on blog postings and give their unique perspective on fabulous topics and trends.
I am an alum of the University of Missouri's Journalism School and for the past nine years, my career has been focused on promoting several different and interesting products and services. Currently, I am a "housewife" and ready to add my unique spin on the world around me.
Happy Halloween! Tonight, a haunting chill will be in the air, jack-o-lanturns will be glowing with fright and little ghouls and gobblins will be knocking on doors for a trick or treat. But this Halloween, it’s time to give respect to a great symbol of this spooky holiday, the witch.
Throughout history and fairy tales, this magical woman has had a very bad reputation for being evil, mischievous and ugly. Well, I think the witch has just been misunderstood…and that can drive anyone crazy mad (and unhappiness can bring wrinkles)!
The witches in Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and The Little Mermaid obviously tried to kill the beautiful princess. But it’s hard to live up to the pretty
“popular girl” with a heart of gold. There’s no way she’s going to have a chance with the prince or even have her
opinions noticed. Plus, I don’t blame the witch in Hazel and Gretel for eating children…you would too if they ate your house.
Or what about the “supposed witches” of the Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692? They were just independent women (much ahead of their time) disciplining children; and perhaps had a bad case of PMS. That’s no reason to be accused of witchcraft. Those poor women hanging from the gallows…I hope they haunted those who judged and murdered them.
So this Halloween, if you see a witch, give her a big hug. That’s all she wants.
Tomorrow I have a doctor’s appointment; and it’s not the examination or possible blood test that frightens me, it’s the waiting. After I enter the office and fill out the insurance papers, how long will I have to sit and wait for my name to be called? Then once I am in the examining room, how long will I wait for the doctor to see me?
Last summer, I had a post-op appointment at 10am. I was in serious pain; and still waited for 45 minutes for the medical assistant to call my name. Then I waited another 20 minutes until the surgeon entered the room. He reviewed my incisions and wrote me a prescription. Total Time With Doctor = 5 minutes.
I believe there is a waiting room conspiracy. The doctors want you to wait long enough for a new aliment to begin. I know after I wait that long (especially if I am in a hurry to make a meeting, pick up a child, etc.) my mental state goes south quickly. This conspiracy will enable doctors to make more money or refer you to another doctor in their pyramid scheme.
So when scheduling your next doctor’s visit, my only advice is to choose the first appointment of the day or the appointment right after the office lunch break. You are sure to see your doctor faster!
Note to Doctors: Schedule your appointments farther apart. Then there’s no rush, patients will be happy and no need to ever apologize.
Recently, a very good friend became engaged; and I was so honored that she asked me to be a bridesmaid. Now, besides looking forward to the “big day,” I am anxiously awaiting the
style of bridesmaid dress that she will choose.
In the past, bridesmaid dresses were horrific or how I would describe as a great fashion tragedy. In fact, the dresses were so awful (We’ve all seen “27 Dresses”) that I had to wonder if the bride liked her maids or if it was just an evil plot for revenge.
Thank goodness today’s bridesmaid dresses are chic and sophisticated; but ready to take on any bridal challenges and difficult dance moves. I am a big fan of JCrew and Ann Taylor’s bridesmaid dress collections. Each dress is simple, elegant and will keep all attention on the bride.
Note: No matter how fashionable a bridesmaid dress, one will never wear it again to another social function.
It’s ten days until Halloween; but most holiday collections arrive in stores next week. This year, every retailer’s collection has a different theme; which will enable fashionistas everywhere to find the perfect outfit to fit their unique personalities. No one wants to look the same at a holiday gala or New Year’s party.
White House Black Market: This holiday collection focuses on three colors: black, silver and red. Their sophisticated and sexy fashions will create a hot look on those cold December nights. I have my husband’s semi-formal holiday party to attend; and the red velvet suit has my name on it. I normally freeze at these events; so a long sleeve and pant will be elegant with an edge paired with bling jewelry and silver heels.
Talbots: It’s about simple, classic and bold. Besides a collection of black and silver, Talbots’ holiday collection includes bold pinks, greens and blues. The hot pink kimono dress is absolutely stunning. With the right accessories, this look will be talked about until next year’s party.
Ann Taylor: I just saw the holiday collection preview Monday and Demi Moore looks amazing in these fabulous neutrals. It’s all about soft and sexy with beige colored lace and cashmere. This collection will be perfect for a small cocktail affair with a large fireplace warming the room.
So whatever your style this holiday season, you will find the perfect ensemble for your party! Happy Shopping!
Sunday night’s explosive Part 1 Reunion Show of the New Jersey Housewives was exactly what I expected….Teresa is the new villainess. I think Teresa fits the role perfectly as her jealousy
and cattiness reached a whole new level this season.
Teresa was my favorite cast member until she unleashed her fury on Melissa and Kathy. (I “unliked” her Facebook fan page and I no longer follow her on Twitter). I knew from the beginning she was all flash and shallow; but she was funny. Teresa is now the bitter mean girl. Why can’t she just be happy for Melissa and Joey’s success? Why does Teresa think every comment out of Kathy’s mouth is relating to her? Teresa…the world does not revolve around you and your cookbooks.
During the reunion show, Teresa was a politician. She could not answer a single question and was completely defensive. Teresa is unable to take responsibility for her actions and words (hurtful comments do not belong in a cookbook). Also, she doesn’t have to pretend her husband’s legal problems are no big deal…they are public knowledge and looks like there may be jail time in the future.
Also, I really missed Jacqueline; and I will definitely tune in for Season 4 to discover the new controversy. (The Bravo producers know what they are doing to get ratings.)
Now, it’s not like I love all the other wives. Each can be catty and I am sorry, but Melissa, I am not a fan of your voice or song.
So tune in Sunday for Part II of the New Jersey Reunion Show. I am sure it will be more of Teresa and her delusion. Happy Watching!
This weekend I had a craving for barbecued shrimp! I picked up some fresh jumbo shrimp from my grocer’s seafood department (shells on). And after returning home, I went through my spices, marinades, etc. and decided to be a little creative. I wanted to recreate the Vermont Maple Glazed Jumbo Shrimp from Annie Gunn’s (http://www.anniegunns.com/index.html). This restaurant is a “must-eat-at” for anyone visiting or living in St. Louis, MO.
How to Make My Interpretation:
First, clean the shrimp and remove the shells and tail. In a zip-lock bag, add 1 cup of brown sugar and the shrimp. Make sure to coat each shrimp with a good layer of brown sugar. Take the shrimp from the bag, wrap each with a half slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place into a container and shake brown sugar over the bacon-wrapped shrimp. Cover container and let sit in refrigerator for an hour.
When ready for the grill, place shrimp on a special seafood barbecuing tray and cook until bacon is crisp. Keep careful eye on shrimp (and the toothpicks).
When done, you will have a wonderful salty/sweet appetizer or main course. These were so good that my husband (not a seafood fan) raved about them! Enjoy!
HEAT oven to 375ºF.
SEPARATE breadsticks; cut each crosswise in half. Working with one piece at a time, stretch each to 5-inch length; tie knot at each end. Roll in cheese to evenly coat all sides.
PLACE, 2 inches apart, on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
BAKE 8 to 10 min. until golden brown. Meanwhile, mix ranch dressing and hot pepper sauce.
COOL breadsticks slightly. Serve with dressing mixture.
I realize that the Holidays are a little over two months away; but it’s never too early to buy your gifts.
When purchasing Holiday gifts early, the stores are sure to have the “most wanted” toys and electronic items in stock. (Most hot items are normally in the stores by late October). However, be sure to keep your receipts and careful watch on weekly ads. If these item(s) go on sale, it’s easy to bring your receipt to customer service for an extra discount. I recently purchased a holiday gift for my child; and to my surprise, Target discounted the item by 50% the next day. I immediately received my new discount; and I am relieved to have this popular item wrapped and secretly hidding for Christmas morning.
You probably receive a dozen emails a day from your favorite vendors advertising their latest sale. It’s important to take advantage of those sales now (especially for full price, new items). Retailers may remove sales from these items right after Thanksgiving when the Holiday shopping rush begins. Plus, most vendor emails promise “free shipping” along with other super discounts!
No one likes crowded malls. So if you must buy in store in order to receive a discount or a special item, go now. Avoid the endless search for the perfect parking spot , not-so-friendly frustrated and tired shoppers and a possible confrontation with a person wanting your item.
Finally, by taking the extra time to Holiday shop now, you will avoid stress and have more time for festivities and family fun. Isn’t that what the Holidays are all about? Happy Shopping!
You can’t just have one handful. It’s sinfully delicious and tastes just like your favorite PayDay candy bar. It’s so simple. It’s peanuts and candy corn mix!
Just mix equal portions of candy corn with salted peanuts, and combine.
Serve at a party, and your guests will be asking for more. Plus, the candy corn is fat free!
Caution: You may find yourself stealing candy corn from your child’s Halloween candy to make this mix over and over again!
With Fall beginning, I have made (thanks to a friend’s wonderful blog, Healthy-to-100.blogspot.com) some easy strides to a healthier lifestyle for myself and my family. I am not a health nut. I do enjoy a good candy bar or Cheetos; and I hate working out. But these three easy steps to a healthier lifestyle can be accomplished by everyone; and I am feeling and looking better!
#1 – Only eat out once a week. My family and I have been doing this step for a long time. We only eat at a restaurant for dinner either Friday or Saturday night (That includes no fast food for lunch – pack it the night before). I understand that everyone is busy and sometimes eating a home-cooked meal is hard. But try to cook a few meals on the weekends and freeze them for the week. Or turn up the crock pot, let your meal cook all day and come home to a fabulous feast. This step is also easy on the wallet.
#2 – 30 minutes of exercise a day. You don’t have to go to the gym and work up a sweat (but you can if you want too). Here are some examples of a fast 30 minute workout per day – a brisk walk around your neighborhood or on your lunch hour, clean house or power shop. It’s important to stay on your feet and keep on moving. It’s going to be noticeable on your waistline.
#3 – Take a vitamin. I take a daily mulit-vitamin to receive all the nutrients I need. I tend to be a picky eater; and this is a super easy way to nourish my body and keep me feeling full of energy.
These three steps to a healthier lifestyle are simple and effective. Everyone can do this; and it’s even better when the whole family participates and supports one another. Stay Healthy!